Jokeyman123

These are a few hex layer tones files I threw together using only the fundamental waveshapes in the PX560-saw, pulse, sine and square wavs. Nothing too preposterous-just trying to see what I could do with the simplest of waveshapes and a few hex layers, didn't even use the VA waves which can add an entirely different dimension to these or other hex layer tones. Alot of variety here.
 
No effects, no modulation settings-just factory pitch and mod wheels on these. Using the 3 control knobs and registrations, I'm sure I could do more as far as expressiveness, but I want to start simple. Can get alot more crazy with hex layers and I probably will, soon!
A little more info. I programmed these with a heavy dose of resonance and using the control knobs for cutoff and resonance similar to the XW's knob settings. 1st control knob brings in some Lfo. Discovered i can drive these tones to a type of ring modulation by peaking resonance, must be due to hex layers interacting.

With renewed interest in my XW-P1, and after working at hex layers with the PX560-I decided to recreate-a bit old-school stylistically-a hex layer for the XW-P1 which is similar to one I have uploaded here for the PX560 already, which I divided up into zones and with slightly different instrumentation. This is a little different, the drawbars/sliders are so handy on the XW-I have programmed a trad jazz section of instruments-all layered together across the entire keyboard to be brought in and out with the drawbars. Nothing fancy as far as dynamic control from the keys-just straight through the drawbars. 1-6 are 1) flute, 2) mute trumpet, 3) alto sax, 4) acoustic piano, 5) breathy sax and 6) tremolo vibes. Sure wish I could midi the PX560 to the XW and use the XW drawbars to control levels in the PX560 hex layers-but as hard as i have studied, I do not think it is possible. There are no specific cc messages to control the hex layer dynamics in the PX560. Would be very cool if anybody AlenK maybe? Brad? Mike Martin? Would be a killer feature......maybe, somebody?? Japan-firmware update?

I am uploading 2 files here for use in converting 1) Yamaha .sty files to ckf and 2) a rhythm player which loads and plays Casio .ckf rhythm files.  I am not able to locate these files on the web anymore-may be temporary but the Wanadoo site where I found the ckf player originally does not seem to be working anymore, and this is the only software I've ever found that will preview and play Casio .ckf rhythm files on a windows-based computer-important if you want to check out how rhythms will sound before loading no the keyboard, and for custom-designing rhythms. the Yamaha style to ckf converter is also something that might disappear soon from the web, so here that is. 

Here's a little mid file to play on your PX560 or software with a good soundfont-it is a copy of the amazing arrangement by Michael Brecker. The real performance is on Youtube. Good to practice to. One of my inspirations. A gifted musician. Rest in peace Michael.
 
if anyone can tell me who else played on the original version, I can't find the other personnel anywhere on the web. I would guess his brother played trumpet, and I think it sounds like Corea on piano. I found this midi quite awhile ago, I have no idea where I got it from originally but this is not me playing it, I'm not that good! It sounds like the original performers might have created this and recorded it to midi. When many of the instruments went midi years back, some pretty big names created demos by live playing and recording files like this. Corea created midi tracks for the Yamaha SY77 when it first came out, I'm sure others have done the same recently. 

Just when I thought I would stop....here are 3, no 4, no 5 more ckf rhythm accompaniment files I have designed for the PX560-but also play in my older PX575 and probably others. Like my previous, these only have 2 variations, 2 fills, 1 intro and 1 ending, so not fully exploiting other later Casios but the PX560 can only do 2 of each so I left it at that. the tempos may not load properly so I list what these are supposed to be as I play them.
1) Blues-55 bpm
2) Funk Hardrock-100 bpm
3) Dance fusion-105 bpm
4) Mixed rock-105 bpm
5) Funk Rock -120 bpm
 
PX560 function I learned from Brad-when switching around rhythms, hitting tempo up down buttons together gets to the original tempo. If i switch around otherwise, seems to keep the tempo of the previous rhythm. maybe something to do with the way the Casio CKF converter is embedding tempo, not sure. And again as in prior ckfs I've created, i am using GM standard sounds since this is from an older midi arranger, but with the PX560 rhythm editor, this can easily be changed to better sounds and saved with the mixer and editor. I may do one more series-have a few more i practice with for improvising and noodling on the keys. I've tried to pick some that are different than the usual rhythms I have on my 3 Privias, hope somebody gets a chance to try them. Thanks.

I think one is very recognizable, the other is a derived variation in the same style, just for giggles. Not for commercial use, only for personal or educational. Shows what can be done with a little work to give a new dimension to rhythm accompaniments. The tools are all here. works on PX560, but might work on other Casios.
 
Oops-was a little hasty. Chords you play will not match accompaniment-thought I did these in base C Major, but slipped up. I'll leave these for now, both will play but are a whole step out from your held chord, whoopsie.  I'll fix and upload corrected versions ASAP.
 
Did have some trouble with super ckf-doesn't seem to save original sounds when I saved as ckf with editor even when I manually entered in ckf edit. Original sounds were clavinette, finger (or similar) bass, funk guitar and standard drums, which can be changed and saved in px560 rhythm editor to whatever tones you have in the PX560.
 
OK-I couldn't help it. One more-kind of a late Miles Davis style, when he was trying for a more popular groove than the traditional jazz he was known for.
HiphopJz.ckf
 
Adding a few details 1/25/2019...to clarify for anyone using the Casio IDES 4.0 rhythm converter. Part of the software allows for creating a "one-touch preset". Since I had no idea whether this would work with the PX560, and haven't had time to check, I did not use it when creating these rhythm files. and the rhythm converter allows for 4 different fills, 2 intros and 2 different endings. Since I wanted to use these on the PX560 which has only 1 intro and ending plus 2 variations and 2 fills, I duplicated my marks for each-in other words, 2 intros are the same etc. And when you switch around from one to the other, I did not have time to work out how the one leads into the other-fill 2 should go to variation 2, fill 1 to variation 1 but I'm not sure that is programmed in accurately. At least the transitions from one part to the other will be smooth, as far as my testing all of these. This can be done exactly, but this part of the programming is part of the parameter edit settings, gets a little complex if your time is limited, or your patience! 

These are 7 more rhythm accompaniment files I have re-created in styles that are a bit "older" stylistically. I had to make minor changes in my PX560 rhythm editor coming straight from the IDES 4.0 rhythm converter, which works pretty well for this although only 5 tracks which can cover alot of stylistic ground if done right IMO.
 
Brief description-think Brecker Brothers outside harmonies for 1, Al Jarreau style for another 1-2 (did some beautiful stuff in the 80s, now sadly gone). the godfather of soul for 1 and a straight power shuffle for another. These all have harmonic changes built-in for soloing over, or building your own. Again, only for personal or education as these have pretty strong "hooks" that some may think are pushing the envelope for what is OK but it took alot of my own work to try to get these in a form playable by my PX560, and maybe a few other older Casios.
 
 If I get the word from our administrators as being too stylistically recognizable from others or for whatever reason, I will pull these down from here, and I have not posted these anywhere else. So far I have gotten a tentative OK from Mike Martin with caveats from a few other users about this so...
What happens in Casioland, stays in Casioland.!      

5 styles I converted from Yamaha files I have. first I used sty to mid-most sty files can simply be changed to .mid from .sty and instant midi file is there. I also used sty to ckf software with Windows 7. Working on a few more. This is a compressed package file. Use Winzip, Windows file extractor or something similar. I used 7zip to compress these-are small anyway but will download superfast.

After reading a post about organ touch sensitivity-I created this hex layer tone which allows for touch sensitivity with 6 organ tones with the PX560. There is no touch sensitivity with the original Hammond/Wurlitzer classic console organs, but if you want that effect, here is one way to do it with the PX560. if you need info about how to use this tone-look up the post about it in the CTX section under touch sensitivity with organ tones. I have described how to use this patch under that post. Enter edit mode and just switch individual layers on and off to get each organ tone. Or layer for a sort of "super" organ mode! PS-this is a nice shortcut if you need to group 6 different tones for instant access for live playing too.

Simple ring modulated acoustic piano. I like this layered with some of the synth sounds-sawtooth, pulse, va lead sounds-adds a nice edge to these sounds. Or just play solo as Jan Hammer used to with his electric pianos.

A more cutting "jangly" piano with some sustain. Tried to bring out fortissimo harshness with this patch.

Just some more silliness-trying to do more CZ weirdness sounds....

Actually more of a combo hex layer-left hand jazz bass and right side combination of mute trumpet, vibes and sax-with velocity bringing up vibes and trombone. Softer velocity brings out mute trumpet, sax and softer vibes. Revealing my old skool training I guess.

Anorher simple hex layer-trying to remember some of the CZ-style sounds to duplicate with the PX560 and the XW-P1. The CZs were able to create some cool sound effects with its 8-stage envelopes, ring modulator and some creative programming.  The PX-560 has 3-stage envelopes with some additional envelope tricks that can be done with combinations of tone and hex layer envelopes-thanks AlenK for helping with this, and Brad. I will do a few more.

another hex layer experiment-trying to obtain a "morphing" type of sound-still needs work, but thought it might be interesting for some.  Used all 6 layers and amp envelopes to change timing of each sound fading in, added an attack and release sound.

Like the  oboe, trying to make this sound a little more realistic with a white noise attack, some resonance and the early reflections DSP. Still not where I'd like it but a little better I think.

Tried to tone down LFO from factory. Added a bit of resonance and with a hex layer added a white noise attack.

Just a silly bunch of sine waves and white noise-trying to recall some of the old CZ sounds I programmed years ago. The early reflections DSP realy brightens things up.

Just messing around with hex layers for practice-made up of acoustic bass, ep, vibes, sax, mute trumpet and jazz organ from existing tones, just split up roughly an octave each except bass. No drumkit since these can't be used in a hex layer. Just for giggles. Nice for creating multi-instrument voicings for a jazz ensemble approach (maybe!)

This is a collection of 18 organ "tones" making up all the organ uploads I could find in the current uploads as of 7/17/2014 for the XW-P1. These should be unzipped and put in your "userdat" folder for transfer with the XW-P1 data editor. .ZDOs are drawbar organs. .ZLT are PCM tones and .ZTN are hex layer organs.